Servant Leadership: The Guiding Philosophy Behind EQ’S Management Style

Enabling Qapital operates as a management board with each, and every Senior Management Team Member provided with the same level of authority, responsibility, and accountability vis-a-vis its peers, employees, and the board of the company.

Following the guiding philosophy of Servant Leadership at EQ, the SMT seeks amicable solutions/decisions, rather than trying to enforce personal opinions by securing a majority. It echoes the view that a decision can only take permanent effect if all the decision makers can support it, even if they have certain reservations.

This also happens to be the same way in which Switzerland is governed. A significant difference between members of the government of other countries and the Swiss federal councilors is that a federal councilor is part of the collective head of state. The Federal President is not a head of government with the authority to issue directives or set guidelines. This ensures that the final decision is that which benefits everyone, and not just particular groups in society. A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong.

While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, Greenleaf said: “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.”

The servant leader, in accordance with Greenleaf’s views, approaches events and organizations with a desire to contribute their presence to address the organization and others’ needs. Servant leaders prioritize meeting the needs and wants of their stakeholders, prioritizing leadership as a secondary goal. This contrasts with the leader-first approach, in which someone seeks to take charge as soon as possible, frequently motivated by the hope of gaining money or influence. Personal advancement takes a backseat to either developing and coaching the team that adheres to their instructions or the needs of their clients and customers. Even while in a position of authority, a servant leader often exhorts their followers to put the needs of others ahead of their own interests.

This leadership style requires an individual to demonstrate characteristics such as empathy, listening, stewardship, and commitment to the personal growth of others. The authority figure in servant leadership environments attempts to promote innovation, empower employees, and assure the well-being of those around them. Servant leadership also aims to develop leadership qualities in others.

Among the benefits of servant leadership is that employees feel that the management is looking out for their interests and that there is a shared vision. There is also greater trust between staff members and leaders as the leaders take their staff members’ opinions into account, which is likely to improve innovative efforts, and that people can advance professionally in a supportive environment.

At Enabling Qapital, we believe the servant leadership governance approach to be an act of service, and we prioritize the need to focus first on the growth and well-being of our team as a way of achieving success for our investees, investors, and our company.